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Introduction... Settlements come in different sizes, types and locations. You can learn about the history and function of a settlement by studying its shape and size, its placement in the landscape, and its situation in relation to surrounding features. If you group and classify settlements according to their size and shape, the result is a settlement hierarchy.…read more

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What is a settlement...? A settlement is a place where people live. A settlement may be as small as a single house in a remote area or as a large as a mega city (a city with over 10 million residents). A settlement may be permanent or temporary. An example of a temporary settlement is a refugee camp. However, a temporary settlement may become permanent over time. This has happened to many refugee camps that have been built in conflict zones. The reason a settlement was developed or built can be thought of as its function. For example, the settlement of Southampton is a port.…read more

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Some common site factors include: Wet point sites ­ these have good water supply. Many settlements grew around wet point sites, e.g. villages in the South Downs. Dry point sites ­ these are away from the risk of flooding, eg Ely in Cambridgeshire. Defensive sites ­ often found on higher ground so that enemies could be seen from a distance, e.g. Corfe Castle, Dorset, or in the loop of a meander, e.g. Durham. Aspect ­ settlements are often found on the sunny side of a deep valley. This is common in settlements in the Alps. Shelter ­ from cold prevailing winds and rain. Gap towns ­ Lincoln is found in a gap between two areas of higher ground. Resources ­ important for industry, e.g. villages such as Aberfan in the Welsh valleys close to coal reserves. Bridging point ­ settlements with 'ford' in their name often grew around a fording point or bridging point, e.g. Watford is found on the River Colne. Trading centres ­ often settlements grow where natural route ways and rivers meet, which helps the development of roads, railways and canals.…read more

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Settlement functions Examples of functions: Most large Port ­ the original function of cities settlements in such as Liverpool and Southampton. MEDCs are Both are still ports, but this function multifunctional and has diminished in importance and they perform a range of are now multifunctional. functions such as Market town ­ Watford was originally a retail, education and market town, and although it still holds industry. a regular market, it is now a thriving multifunctional centre. When settlements Resort ­ Southport was a popular first started to grow, Victorian seaside resort, although it most had only one now has many functions and is a distinct function, commuter settlement for Liverpool. and others Natural resources in the area enabled developed as the Sheffield to develop as an important settlement grew. centre in the iron and steel industry. Although steel is still produced, its prominence has declined and Sheffield is a thriving multifunctional city.…read more

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Settlement hierachy If we group and classify a number of ·Services such as department stores settlements according to their size and selling high order goods have a higher shape the result is settlement hierarchy threshold than those selling low order As you move up the hierarchy, the size of goods such as newsagents. This means the settlement and the distance between they need a higher number of people to similar sized settlements increases. As you support them and make them profitable, can see from the diagram below, there are therefore they will only be found in larger more cities than conurbations, more towns than cities and more villages than towns. settlements. It also means that there are fewer big department stores than small Small settlements will only provide low newsagents. order services such as a post offices, doctors and newsagents. Large towns, cities and conurbations will provide low and high order services such as leisure centres, chain stores and hospitals. Larger settlements and conurbations have a much larger sphere of influence than smaller ones. This means they attract people from a wider area because of the facilities they offer. Cities such as London have a global sphere of influence, whereas a small hamlet or village may only have a sphere of…read more